starting difficulties after valve adjustment

[Anonymous]

hi to everyone

ok, so last week i popped off the valve cover off my '80 GS550e, found 4 of my valves out of gap and replaced some shims to get them at proper gap. sealed everything up alright with a new valve cover gasket and everything should be kosher, but it's not.

before, the engine would start right up without any problems. put on the choke and twist on some gas and she'd fire right up. now when i go to start i do the same thing as before but instead fo roaring to life she kinda puts for a second then fizzles out. but here's the funny thing. if i spray some starting fluid into the airbox she starts right up and runs like a champ. i ran out of starting fluid the other day and had to substitute carb cleaner, which apparently is also flammable enough.

it sounds like a fuel problem to me, but i didn't touch anything to do with the fuel system other than disconnect the vacuum and fuel lines. whatever the cause, it's quite annoying having to ride around with a can of starting fluid.

so the basic question is, why does she now need starting fluid to get her going, when before she didn't?

TIA

john

[Anonymous]

Don't touch the throttle. Let the choke do its job.

Does it start OK later on, or is it every time?

[Anonymous]

be careful with the starter fluid...If you have any flamable residue on the block....like I did once...you can light your bike on fire if it backfires...like I did once. 8O

[Anonymous]

if it only sits for a short interval, say less than about 30 minutes, then it'll start up fine again. if it sits any longer than about 30 then it needs help with the fluid

[SqDancerLynn1]

check the fuel system. It could be seaping fuel from the needle and flooding Try disconnecting the vacuum line to the petcock and running it for 20-30 seconds before shutting it off. Then let it set and see if it does the same thing

[Don Lobacz]

Check your compression and tell us the results.

[redliner1973]

Sounds like you shimmed them too tight and are holding the valves slightly open, as lower compression will make for a rougher start. :twisted:

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Sounds like you shimmed them too tight and are holding the valves slightly open, as lower compression will make for a rougher start. :twisted:

Yeah. What he said.